I recently came across an article - How to Improve your Writing: the 7 drills by Mason Engel and made some notes. The first thing that comes up is the ever-present advice on improving your writing. Write a lot, read a lot, repeat. This is all well and good. It's solid advice, especially when you're …
Lexi looked guilty, "The only full-length things I own are formal." Paul looked at her dress with it's below-the-knee skirt, "Not all the stories in the house are pre 1900. I have a particular set of scenes in mind you'll be perfect for." He stood and started directing his troops. The first set of images …
Learning started as soon as they walked back through the front door of the cottage, Sarah directing her through the steps of full breakfast preparation. Sorting through one cupboard for plates and mugs, Anaria happened upon a couple of dishes that were either small bowls or large mugs without handles. She pulled them out with …
Calypso could almost feel the shock radiating off her computer screen in the pause that followed. Hecate’s reply, when it came, got straight to the point, “What are you going to do?” “I had a meeting with Athena a little while ago, she’s got me doing a project for her that would be severely disrupted …
The following two weeks were busy. Sophia met and measured (in more ways than one) the unattached ladies of the Weriban court. Her list of interested or suitable candidates shrank considerably. Indeed, the only young lady she felt had the grace, intelligence and humour to be a good partner to the Overlord was desperately pining …
I'm a member of an online writing group that's working its way through Steering the Craft by Ursula Le Guinn. Each week we move to the next chapter and its attendant writing exercise. A recent one asked us to create a piece using repetition as a theme. It sort of ran away with me. Rose …
Alec was halfway through the locket explanation when there was a knock on the door. He stole another quick kiss and went to open it. Lady Aurelia stood on the other side, eyes twinkling, "All well then?" "I believe I'm temporarily forgiven." He stood back and she entered the room, moving to sit beside Mellisande. …
Marcus grimaced, "I appreciate you respecting their dignity and trying to do the right thing, but you might want to bear in mind that none of them can keep a secret to save themselves." "So if we were to have a little chat, it'll be all over the castle." "Before lunch. It's another reason every …
Edda showed Millie up three flights of stairs to her room, leaving her to unpack a little and explore. It was a lovely, light-filled place with comfortable furniture and a neat little balcony begging for young plants to be nursed into growth there, in company with the two blooming vines hugging themselves to the building …
Paul kept Lexi hopping with requests for information on the house, its layout, its history, its owner and more. Eventually she put her foot down and organised a conference between him, Simon and the three architects in order to lay out both the history and the possible futures of the house. She decided not to …
The DNA of Stories 